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News Headlines for January 11th, 2017

President-Elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he has chose Dr. David Shulkin, VA undersecretary, to become head of the Department of Veterans Affairs. If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Shulkin will be the nominee with the most medical experience, as well as the first non-veteran to become secretary. Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander Brian Duffy has expressed his approval for the nomination, along with another veteran group Got Your 6. The confirmation hearing has yet to be announced.
Source: Military Times

Court Travels to Veterans In New Recovery Program –

The North Texas Regional Veterans Court is a three-phase program for veterans who are facing criminal charges as an alternative to the criminal court system. It requires substance-abuse treatment, regular drug and alcohol testing, intensive therapy, mentoring, as well as community service. If the veterans complete the program, they will have their criminal charges dismissed and arrest records erased. The court also travels to the veterans in 5 different counties near Dallas, TX for their hearings. Judge John Roach Jr. hopes that this system will be replicated in other rural areas where transportation can be a challenge. The National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics says that roughly 30 percent of veterans in the U.S. live in rural areas. The VA has made a plan to improve access for veterans, but the plan does not address veterans’ courts specifically. Multiple veterans’ courts allow for video court hearings, but Roach is the only identifiable judge who travels outside of his elected county for court. As of mid-December 2016, 52 veterans were enrolled in the program.
For further information on the North Texas Regional Veterans Court, please visit FanninCountyDA.com
Source: Military Times

“New” Organ Discovered in Human Body –

For years the mesentery was thought to be a few structures within the digestive system, but now scientists have discovered that it is indeed one organ. It was previously documented by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1508, but his information had been ignored for centuries. As described by Independent, “the organ is a double fold of peritoneum – the lining of the abdominal cavity – that holds our intestine to the wall of our abdomen.” The addition of the mesentery brings the count of organs in the human body to 79. Researchers hope that by discovering the function of the mesentery they can understand, diagnose, and treat diseases possibly related to the organ.
Source: Independent UK

Vietnam Surgeons Remove Scissors from Man after 18 Years –

After presenting to the hospital following a road accident, doctors discovered on an ultrasound that Ma Van Nhat had a 6-inch pair of surgical scissors next to his colon from a 1998 operation in Vietnam. The gentleman did not notice any symptoms until recently when he experienced stomach pain that was not responding to painkillers. Ma had surgery to remove the foreign object and is expected to return home within the week.
Source: BBC